Amalgamator and distributer



No. 615,046. Patented Nov. 29, |898. J. H. RAE.

AMALGAMATOR AND DISTRIBUTER.

(Application filed Oct. 22, 1897.;

(N0 Model.)

\" [NVE TOR.

Ma) /wnd WM MMM/f ATTORNEYS O/AIJZZ; -5. W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIO HARTFORD RAE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AMALGAMATOR AND DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 61 5,046, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed October 22, 1897. Serial No. 656,058. (No model.)

To LH whom, it may concern:

Be itkn own that I, JULIO HARTFORD RAE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Amalgamators and Distributors, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification andv accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in amalgamators and distributers; and it cousists of a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels forming intervening passages into the inner one of which the pulp is introduced under pressure by a pipe passing through the base of the other intervening passages.

It further consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 represents a partial side elevation and partial vertical section of an amalgamator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan View, on a reduced scale, of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a partial plan view and partial horizontal section of a feed-pipe employed in connection with my invention. Fig. 4 represents a plan view of a supporting-ring ernployed in connection with my invention. Fig. 5 represents a plan view of a modification of the feed-pipe shown in Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the iigures.

j, Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an amalgamator consisting in the present instance of the inverted cones 2, 3, 4, and 5, it being evident that, if desired, polygons may be employed in lieu of said cones.

The cone 2 is separated from the cone 3 by the plates 6, and the cone 3 is separated from the cone 4 by the plates 7, and the cone 4 is separated from the cone 5 by the plates 8, it being noted that concentric spaces 9, 10, and 11 are thus formed between said cones and for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

12 designates rings provided with inwardlyprojecting members 13, between which are open spaces 14 for the reception of their respective plates 6, 7, and 8, said plates dividing the spaces 9, 10, and 11 into compartments 16, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, and the object of which will be hereinafter described.

The apex of the cone 2 is provided with a hardened point 17, so as to reduce to a minimum the wear of the same due to the pulp striking said point in the process of amalgamation.

In the apex of the cone 3 is an opening 1.3, into which is fitted the discharge end 19 of a pipe 20, which feeds the pulp through the amalgamator 1, so as to separate the particles of gold and silver from the pulp during the passage of the latter through said amalgamator.

The apex of the cone 4 is provided with an opening 21, which permits the pulp within said cone to escape therethrough and enter the chamber 22 in the lower portion of the cone 5, it being noted that the bottom of the latter is closed to prevent the contents of said cone from escaping at this point. The chamber 22 is supplied with Quicksilver 23 to catch the particles of gold and silver which come in contact with the saine.

24 designates a pipe which leads from the chamber 22 and conveys the quicksilver 23 from the same into a suitable receptacle 25, connected to said pipe, so that the Quicksilver within said receptacle can be readily removed from the same in any suitable manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The pipe 24 is provided with a valve 26 for either opening` or closing the communication between the chamber 22 and receptacle 25.

27 designates a feed-pipe for water to be injected by the same into the amalgamator 1, one end of said pipe in the present instance being tted into a hollow ring 28, which encircles the pipe 20, it being apparent that, if desired, the ring 23 may be integral with the pipe 27.

Projecting inwardly from the ring 28 are nipples 29, (see more particularly Fig. 3,) and to these latter are connected the branch pipes 30, which discharge their contents into the chamber 22 and compartments 16 between the cones 4 and 5.

If desired, the nipples 29 maybe dispensed with and the pipes 30 may be connected directly to the ring 31, (see Fig. 5,) said ring IOO being substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 3, it being noted, however, that the ring 3l is ot' less diameter than the ring 2 and that the pipes 30 rise directly from said ring 31.

32 designates a feed-pipe for the pulp to be amalgamated, one end of the fermer being connected to a iitting 33, which receives the lower extremity of the pipe 20. The ttiug has also connected thereto one end of a pipe 34, which latter injeets water into the pipe 20, and consequently into the amalgamator 1. The pipe 34 is provided with a cock 35 for opening and closing the colnmunication between said pipe 34 and the amalgamater.

3G designates a distributer which directs the pulp from the amalgamator 1 to any desired point.

` It will be noted that only one distributer is shown in the drawings, although in practice the former are the same in number as the compartments 16 in the cone 5.

The operation is as follows: The manner of assembling the several parts of the amalgamator will iirst be described. The ring 28 is placed in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the pipes 30 (one at a time) are screwed into the openings 37 from the inside of the cone 5. Vhen the lower extremity of a pipe 30 has reached the proper point, its screw-threads engage with an elbow 3S, which latter was previously secured to a nipple 29, so that when all the pipes 30 are secured to the elbow 3S and the bottom of the cone 5 said ring 23 and pipe 27, forming part thereof, will be firmly retained in position. The pipe 24 and receptacle 25, forming part thereof", are then connected in any suitable manner to the cone 5 or dispensed with. The Quicksilver 23 is then poured into the cone 5, so as to partly fill the chamber 22, as shown in Fig. 1. The rings 12 are then placed in position within the cone 5, as also shown in Fig. 1. The plates S are then inserted in the spaces 14 and are retained in position within the cone 5 by the same. If desired, the plates 6, 7, and 3 may have notches 39 therein, so as to form shoulders 40, which rest upon the rings 12 and act as supports for said plates, it being apparent, however, that, if desired, said notches 39 may be dispensed with and the edges 3S (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) et the plates 6, 7, and 3 may rest against the rings 12. The cone 4 is then placed within the cone 5 and the rings 12 and plates 7 placed in position within the same in a manner similar to that described in connection with the cone The cone 3 and plates 6 are then placed within the cone 4 in the manner hereinbefore described. rlhe cone 2 is then placed within the cone 3. One end of the pipe 20 is thenA passed through an opening 4() in the bottom of the cone 5 and fitted into the opening 1S in the cone 3, it being noted that said pipe 20 is screw-threaded, as at 4l and 42, and that, if desired, the portions of said pipe thatare not screw-threaded may be a trifle less in diameter than the parts that are screwthreaded, so as to permit said parts of reduced diameter to freely pass through the openings 1S and 40. The pipes 32 and are then connected to the fitting 33. It will be apparent that in putting together the several parts of the amalgamator it is not essential that these should follow each other exactly in the order specified. The outer face of the cone 2 and the inner and outer faces of the cones 3 and 4 and the inner face of the cone 5, as also the plates 6, 7, and 8 and rings 12, may', if desired, be coated with quicksilver. The pulp to be amalgamated is forced in any suitable manner through the pipe 32 and is discharged into the fitting 33 at a point a trifie above that where the water is discharged from the pipe 34. The water is forcibly ejected from the pipe 34 and coming in contact with the pulp delivered by the pipe 32 carries said pulp into the pipe 20 and from the same upwardly through the compartments 16 between the cones 2 and 3 and overflowing the top of said cone 3 drops into the compartments 16 between the cones 3 and 4 and discharges into the chamber 22, from which said pulp is forced upwardly through the compartments 16 between the cones 4 and 5 by the jets of water from the pipes 30 and overflowing the top of the cone 5 drops into the distributers 36, which direct said pulp to any desired point. The loose particles of gold and silver in the pulp being heavier than the other portions thereof will remain in the bottoms of the cones 3 and 5, while the lighter particles will be caused to rise by the action of the streams of water injected into the compartments 16 between the cones 2 and 3 and the cones 4 and 5. It will be apparent that some of the loose particles of gold and silver in the pulp will also adhere to the sides of the cones and plates between the same, so that when said pulp overfiows from the cone 5 the same no longer contains loose particles of gold and silver. The pulp discharged into the distributers 36 may then undergo further treatment, so that the gold and silver therein may be extracted from the same. The amalgam in the receptacle 23 may be removed therefrom in any suitable manner.

As it is necessary to occasionally scrape the amalgam from the cones and plates between the same, it will be apparent that in order to accomplish this the supply of pulp and water must be shut off, after which the cones and plates maybe readily removed from their assembled position, so that the amalgam thereon may be removed from the same, after which said cones and plates may be again placed into the amalgamator for the purpose hereinbefore described.

If desired, the pulp may be fed from the tops and sides et' the cones as well as through the pipe 32.

It will be evident that air may be forced through the pipe 34 in place el the water, and

IOO

IIO

it will be found that under certain conditions it will be unnecessary to force a fluid through the said pipe 34, in which case I close a cock which is provided for that purpose.

If desired, I may dispense with the receptacle 23, the operation of the remaining portion of the machine being as before.

The cones maybe supported in any suitable manner.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction as herein shown and described, but desire to make such changes as come within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an amalgamator, a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels, the innermost vessel being closed atits lower portion, rings supported upon the inner peripheries thereof, upwardly-extending plates supported upon said rings and subdividing the spaces between said vessels into separate passages, and means for forcing a supply of pulp and water through said passages, in combination with separate distributers for each of said passages.

2. An amalgamator consisting of a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels having separatingplates held in supporting-rings and forming pulp-passages, a pulp-supply pipe leading through the base of the outer vessel into the space between the inner vessel and the next adjacent one, means for forcing the pulp through said supply-pipe, a water-supply pipe having a branch surrounding said pulp-supply pipe and communicating with the lower end of the passages in said outer vessel, and a drain-pipe from said latter passages; said pulp-passages forming continuous courses from said pulp-supply pipe to said distributers.

3. In an amalgamator, a plurality of concentric vessels arranged in pairs, recessed rings supported upon the inner peripheries of the outer vessels, plates supported on said rings whereby inclined passages are formed between said vessels, an inlet-pipe discharging into the space between the two inner vessels, said space being closed at the bottom and open at the top, a passage open at top and bottom and formed between the inner pair of vessels, the material passing downwardly between the last-mentioned passage to a chamber located at the lower portion of the outer pair of vessels, an annular branch inclosing said inlet or pulp-supply pipe and a plurality of pipes leading from said branch and discharging into said chamber, the latter having passages extending upwardly therefrom and formed between the outer pair of vessels.

4. In an amalgamator, a series of concentric vessels, rings supported upon the inner peripheries of said vessels, the innermost vessel being closed at its lower portion, upwardly-extending plates supported upon said rings and located intermediate of said vessels, said plates subdividing the spaces between said vessels into separate passages, the inner series of said passages overflowing into an outer set of passages, and means for forcing a supply of pulp and water through said passages.

5. An alnalgamator consisting of a series of concentric vessels, upwardlyextending plates subdividing the spaces between said vessels into separate passages, a pulp-supply pipe leading through the base of the outer vessel into the lower end of the space between the inner vessel and the adjacent one, said inner vessel being closed at its lower portion and having a conical tip or apex, against which the pulp is discharged, distributers for each of said passages and a water-supply pipe having a branch surrounding said pulp-supply pipe and communicating with the passages of the outer vessel.

6. In an amalgamator, a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels, the innermost of said vessels being closed at its lower portion, upwardly-extending plates subdividing the space between said vessels into separate passages, the passages in the outer vessels having communicating lower ends, a pipe leading through the base of the outer vessels into the lower portion of the space between the inner vessel and the next adjacent one, means for forcing a pulp-supply through said pipe and a separate distributer for each of said passages, the latter forming continuous courses from 'said supply-pipe to said distributers.

7. In an amalgamator, an inner vessel, a second, third and an outer vessel concentrically arranged relative to the iirst-mentioned vessel, upwardly-extending plates subdividing the spaces between said vessels into separate passages, a pipe leading to the passages between the inner and second vessels, and discharging upon the apex or extremity of said inner vessel, means for forcing pulp and a fluid into said pipe, pipes leading to the passages between the outer vessel and the adjacent one and means for forcing a fluid through said pipes.

8. In an amalgamator, an inner vessel having a hardened point or apex attached thereto, a second, third and an outer vessel, concentrically arranged relative to the first-mentioned vessel, upwardly-extending plates subdividing the spaces between the vessels into separate passages, a pipe leading to the passages between the inner and second cones, means for forcing pulp and a fluid into said pipe, pipes leading to the passages between the outer cone and the adjacent one and means for forcing a iiuid through said pipes, in cornbination with a series of distributers for said upwardly-extending passages.

9. In an amalgamator, a plurality of consecutively-inclosed vessels, rings secured to the latter and having recesses therein, a plurality of upwardly-extending plates supported upon saidY rings, and subdividing the spaces IOO IIO

IZO

between said vessels into separate passages, a pipe leading to the space between the innervessel and the adjacent one, means for forcing pulp and a iiuid into said pipe, and lneans for forcing a fluid into the space between the outer vessel and the adjacent one.

l0. In an amalgamator, a plurality of vessels arranged concentrically` to each other and having suitable portions thereof coated with quicksilver 0r other suitable material, the inner of said vessels being closed at its lower portion, rings supported upon the inner peripheries of said vessels, upwardly-extending plates supported upon said rings and subdividing the spaces between said vessels into separate passages,said plates being also coated with Quicksilver oranalogous material, means for forcing pulp and a fluid into one set of vessels, and means for forcing a plurality of jets of Huid into the passages formed in the outer pair ot` vessels.

l1. In an amalgamator, a plurality of vessels, rings supported upon the inner peripheries thereof, upwardly-extending plates supported upon said rings, said plates subdividing the spaces between the vessels into separate passages, a pipe secured in the apex of the second vessel, means for forcing pulp and a iiuid into-said pipe, an opening in the bottom of the next vessel, pipes secured in the bottom of the next or outer vessel, the latter being adapted to contain Quicksilver in its bottom, means for forcing a fluid through said pipes and a series of distributers suitably connected with the outer vessel.

l2. In an amalgamator, a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels, upwardly-extending plates located between said vessels, and subdividing the spaces therebetween into separate passages, the lower portion of said inner vessel being closed and provided with a removable apex or point and means for forcing a supply of pulp through said passages.

13. In an amalgamator, a series of consecutively-inclosed vessels, upwardly-extending plates located between said vessels and subdividing the spaces therebetween into separate passages, a pipe secured in the apex of the second vessel, and discharging against the closed lower portion of the first or innermost vessel, means for forcing pulp and a iiuid into said pipe, an opening in the bottom of the next vessel, a plurality of pipes or nipples discharging into the bottom of the next or outer Vessel, the latter being adapted to contain quicksilver and means for forcing a fluid through said pipes.

JULIO HARTFORD RAE.

Witnesses:

XVM. C. XVIEDERsHEIM, JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM. 

